Caladium plant named ‘Rio Red’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Rio Red’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; short to intermediate plant size; uniform plant habit; vigorous and dense growth habit; lance-type leaves with dark greyed purple-colored venation and dark red and greyed purple-colored interveinal areas, reddish green-colored margins and black-colored leaf petioles; and good landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RIO RED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rio Red’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive foliage coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2008 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Florida Red Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,136, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum ‘Gingerland’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since March, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rio Red’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rio Red’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit; short to intermediate plant         size.     -   2. Uniform plant habit.     -   3. Vigorous and dense growth habit.     -   4. Lance-type leaves with dark greyed purple-colored venation         and dark red and greyed purple-colored interveinal areas,         reddish green-colored margins and black-colored leaf petioles.     -   5. Good landscape performance.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Red Ruffles’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller and more upright than         plants of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grow faster than plants of         ‘Florida Red Ruffles’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium have sagittate bases         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ have obtuse         bases.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ differ         in leaf petiole color.     -   5. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ differ         in leaf coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Florida Red Ruffles’         have dark red-colored venation and interveinal areas and         green-colored borders.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Gingerland’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Gingerland’ differ in leaf         petiole color.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Gingerland’ differ in leaf         coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Gingerland’ have white         colored venation, white and green-colored interveinal areas with         burgundy-colored spots and green-colored borders.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium ‘Red Frills’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Avon Park, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘Red Frills’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were taller and more vigorous than         plants of ‘Red Frills’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Frills’ differed in leaf         petiole color.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Frills’ differed in leaf         coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Red Frills’ had red-colored         venation and interveinal areas and dark green-colored borders.

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of Caladium ‘Rosemary’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,993. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Zolfo Springs, Fla., plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘Rosemary’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were taller and more upright than         plants of ‘Rosemary’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grew slower than plants of         ‘Rosemary’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Rosemary’ differed in leaf         petiole color.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Rosemary’ differed in leaf         coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Rosemary’ had rose         red-colored venation and interveinal areas and variably mottled         light and dark green-colored borders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Rio Red’ grown in a 15-cm container in a shadehouse.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Rio Red’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers and roots of ‘Rio Red’.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of potted plants of ‘Rio Red’ grown in 15-cm containers, the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Rio Red’.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ (left), ‘Rio Red’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Gingerland’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Red Frills’ (left), ‘Rio Red’ (center) and ‘Rosemary’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in Avon Park, Fla. in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% shade) and plants grown during the autumn in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Zolfo Springs, Fla. All plants were grown under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery Caladium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C. (shadehouse) or 29° C. to 35° C. (outdoor nursery), night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. (shadehouse) or 23° C. to 26° C. (outdoor nursery) and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles (shadehouse) or 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles (outdoor nursery). Plants grown in the shadehouse were eight weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. Plants grown in the outdoor nursery were seven months from planting tuber divisions when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum ‘Rio Red’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Florida Red             Ruffles’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,136.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Gingerland’,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             ovate to round in shape. Height: About 3.1 cm. Diameter:             About 4.9 cm. Texture: Thick and starchy; somewhat brittle.             Color: Epidermis, freshly harvested, more brown than 199D             and N199D; epidermis, dried tuber, close to 200A to 200B;             interior, close to 11C; axillary buds, close to 27D. Root             description: Thick, fleshy contractile roots; color, close             to 155C. Rooting habit: Few lateral branches; moderately             dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit;             short to intermediate plant size; inverted triangle;             vigorous and dense growth habit; rapid growth rate; petioles             and leaves arise from one or more growing points on tubers;             petioles mostly upright and leaning outwardly with             development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 41 cm to 45 cm.         -   Number of clumps per plant, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About four from de-eyed tubers.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About             5.4 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Deltoid.             Apex: Acuminate to acute. Base: Sheathing the stem. Color,             outer surface: Close to N170D tinged with close to 147C and             variably densely streaked with close to 200A tinged with             close to 147A; with development, color becoming closer to             200A stained with close to 187A. Color, inner surface: Close             to N155C; colors and patterns visible from outer surface. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 15 cm to 21             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants (flattened).—About 9.5             cm to 13 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate to acute.         -   Base.—Sagittate, peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing leaves,             upper surface: Midrib and primary venation: Close to N186C             tinged close to 53C. Areas surrounding midrib and primary             venation: Close to 53C tinted with close to N186C.             Interveinal areas: Close to 185A tinged with close to 53A;             random spots and small sectors, close to N186C and 147A.             Borders: Close to 147A tinted with close to N189A. Margins:             Close to 187B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Midrib and             primary venation: Close to 187B to 187C. Interveinal areas:             Close to N186C and 187B; random spots and small sectors,             close to 191C tinged with close to 27D and close to 187A.             Borders: Close to 189A to 191A. Margins: Close to 187B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Midrib and primary             venation: Close to N186C. Areas surrounding midrib and             primary venation: Close to N186C tinted with close to 53A.             Interveinal areas: Close to 53A and N186C; random spots and             small sectors, close to 53A and N186A. Borders: Close to             147A tinted with close to N189A. Margins: Close to 187B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Midrib and primary             venation: Close to 187B; distally, close to 191B flecked and             streaked with close to 187C. Interveinal areas: Close to             N186C and 187B; random spots and small sectors, close to             191B, 187A and close to 191C tinged with close to 27D.             Borders: Close to 189A to 191A, occasionally tinted with             close to N186C. Margins: Close to 187B.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect and leaning, curving outwardly             with development; flexible. Length, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 18 cm to 24 cm. Diameter, distal,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 3 mm to 4.5 mm.             Diameter, proximal, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 7             mm to 11.5 mm. Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants: Close             to 200A occasionally variably striped with close to N186C or             182C. Wing length, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 4.5             cm to 8 cm. Wing diameter, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             About 7 mm to 11 mm. Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted             plants, outer surface: Close to N170D tinged with close to             147C and densely and variably streaked and stippled with             close to 200A tinged with close to 147A. Wing color,             shadehouse-grown potted plants, inner surface: Close to             N155C; outer surface colors and patterns visible. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on nine-week old     shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers arranged on the             lower one-third of the spadix; male flowers arranged on the             upper two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop at             junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night fragrant; sweet jasmine-like with camphor             note.         -   Natural flowering season/longevity.—Plants of the new             Caladium typically flower during the spring or early summer             in central Florida; flowers develop about eight to nine             weeks after growth commences; inflorescences last about             three days before fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 11.5 cm; upper open length, about 8 cm             and lower closed length, about 3.5 cm. Width, distal: About             5 cm. Width, proximal: About 2.5 cm. Width, at constriction:             About 1.6 cm. Shape: Ovate to somewhat obovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Tapering to the peduncle. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             front surface, fully opened: Upper two-thirds: Close to 159D             with variable occasional spots and streaks close to 53A;             occasional spots, close to 146D and 182C to 182D visible             from the rear surface; with development, color becoming             closer to 199D. Lower one-third: Close to 138C and 147C             deeply colored with close to N186A; color does not change             with development. Color, rear surface, fully opened: Upper             two-thirds: Close to 157D and 157D tinged with close to 161D             and variably striped or mottled with close to 182B to 182C.             Lower one-third: Close to 185B to 185C and 182C to 182D with             variable areas, close to 147B to 147C.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 9 cm. Length, male flower zone: About             5.2 cm. Length, sterile flower zone: About 1.6 cm. Length,             female flower zone: About 2.2 cm. Diameter, male flower             zone: About 1 cm. Diameter, sterile flower zone: About 7 mm.             Diameter, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Shape: Columnar.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Aspect: Upright. Color, mature,             male zone: Close to 159C faintly tinged with close to 145D.             Color, mature, sterile zone: Close to 159C. Color, mature,             female zone: Close to 159A tinged with close to N170D. Male             flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 175. Shape: Obovate.             Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 4C. Female flowers:             Quantity per spadix: About 135. Shape: Obovate. Height:             About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to             159A. Ovary color: Close to 159A and 155C.         -   Scape.—Length: About 21.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; glaucous. Color: Close to 200A tinged with close             to 147A; distally, close to 200A tinged with close to 147A             and variably streaked with close to 182C and 183C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance/resistance: Plants of the new Caladium have     been observed to have above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf     Spot and average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Rio Red’ as illustrated and described. 